Culture
Mazda Museum
Although it was planned to reopen the Mazda Museum in October 2020 at the earliest, the reopening date has been further postponed in order to prevent..
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Updates 
Last updated: September 29th, 2020
Follow our latest updates on the coronavirus (Covid-19 disease) situation in Japan:
In summary
- Coronavirus in Japan: Find out about travel restrictions, entry bans, temporary closures, cancelled events and postponements like the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
- Japan's New Normal: Japan now embraces a 'new normal' with social distancing and rigorous hygiene measures now commonplace, as it attempts to stave off a second wave.
- Planning an upcoming trip? We recommend checking your local authority's latest travel and health advisories, as well as the current flight status of your airline.
- After-Covid: Find a variety of related articles about post-Covid travel in Japan.
Table of contents
- Travel updates
- Temporary closures
- Cancelled events
- Coronavirus: guidance, tips, what to do
- Travel advisories
- Official resources
While every effort has been made to keep the info listed here complete and accurate, we advise to always check the official website for any place to get the most up-to-date info
Travel Updates
Border Restrictions Relaxed for Non-Tourist Visas
From October, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces a wider scope for visa applications for those visiting Japan to work, study, visit relatives and more. Read More
Re-Entry Restrictions for Foreign Residents To Be Lifted from Sept 1st
Foreign residents stuck overseas will finally be permitted to re-enter Japan under new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) infection test rules. Read More
Re-Entry Permitted to Foreign Nationals Stuck Overseas
Policy change will allow Japan's foreign residents who may be stuck overseas, like Permanent Residence holder or spouses of Japanese nationals, to re-enter if they left Japan before travel restrictions were originally imposed in April. Read More
Alert Raised for 17 New Countries/Regions
Travel advisory raised for Palestine and 16 countries, including Nepal, Kenya and Venezuela, over concerns with the spread of the novel coronavirus. Read More
18 Countries Added to Entry Ban List
Japan expands its entry ban to visitors from 18 nations, including Cuba, as a continued step to help curtail the spread of coronavirus. Read More
Japan's Contract Tracing App Launched
Free Microsoft-developed app is launched for Android and iOS. 'COCOA: COVID-19 Contact App' aims to alert users if they been in close proximity to someone infected with coronavirus. Read More
Tokyo Lifts Coronavirus Alert
An alert warning about possible increases in coronavirus infections in Tokyo was lifted, in another step towards a full resumption of economic activity. Read More
Travel alert raised for 18 new countries
The countries, mostly in Africa and Central America, may be added to a list totalling 111 countries and territories that would mean denied entry to Japan if visited within two weeks of arrival. Read More
Re-Entry Rules Relaxed for Foreign Residents
Move reverses a re-entry ban and policy that favoured Japanese nationals repatriating but banned foreign residents from returning to their home in Japan for any reason, even humanitarian. Read More
Back to Business for Japan's Bars & Restaurants
Drinking and dining establishments are back open and ready for business, operating in the 'new normal' era of additional safeguards for keeping customers safe. Read More
Surprise Fireworks to Lift Moods
The displays, at secret locations across Japan, were designed to lift spirits amid the pandemic and help mark the warmer weather arriving across Japan. Read More
Japan expected to lift emergency procedures on Monday
Lifting is expected to be announced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday 25th May, following a continuous fall in infection rates. Such a move would apply to Tokyo and it surrounding prefectures (Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa) as well as Hokkaido. Read More
State of emergency lifted in Osaka and surrouding area
The state of emergency imposed due to the coronavirus is lifted in Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo. Now 42 out of 47 prefectures have seen their emergency measures ended. Read More
State of emergency lifted in most of Japan
The state of emergency imposed due to the coronavirus is lifted in 39 out of 47 prefectures, after a sharp fall in new infections. Read More
Govt Considers Lifting Emergency in Less-Affected Prefectures
In consultation with a panel of experts, the government considers partially lifting restrictions in 34 prefectures. Read More
Abe Extends State of Emergency to May 31st
Abe makes announcement to extend nationwide State of Emergency to help reduce rate of new coronavirus infections. Read More
Japanese Govt Plans Contact-Tracing App for May
Smartphone app planned for early May will help warn users if they have been in contact with a diagnosed Covid-19 patient. Read More
Nationwide State of Emergency Declared
Abe expands state of emergency to cover entire nation on Thursday to help prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Read More
Abe Announces State of Emergency
Government poised to declare state of emergency from Tuesday, covering Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, Chiba, Saitama, Hyogo and Fukuoka. Read More
Entry Ban Widened to Include US
Government announces plan to expand list of countries affected as coronavirus pandemic expands. Read More
Tokyo Governor Issues Stay at Home Request
To counter an increase in confirmed infections, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government asks residents to work from home and refrain from going out in evenings and weekends. Read More
Tokyo 2020: Officially Postponed until 2021
IOC announces decision to postpone the Olympic Games to no later than the summer of 2021, to safeguard the health of athletes, those involved in delivering the Games and the international community. Read More
Visa exemption measures suspended for Schengen countries, rest of EU
Effective 21st March, 00:00 JST: Holders of a passport issued by affected countries (see MOFA site), intending to enter Japan without obtaining a visa, will not be permitted to land. Read More
Japan asks Europe visitors to self-quarantine for 14 days,extends entry ban
Effective 21st March, 00:00 JST: Government plans to impose new restrictions on visitors from about 30 European countries, including Britain, France and Germany. Entry bans extend to cover Iceland and parts of Spain, Italy and Switzerland. Read More
Japan mulls entry ban for Italy visitors
Government sources suggest a plan to impose new restrictions on visitors from parts of northern Italy in response to the coronavirus situation there. Read More
Japan to Quarantine all China and S. Korea Visitors
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces new safeguard to quarantine all visitors for 2 weeks from coronavirus-hit China and South Korea, as well as parts of Iran. Read More
JAL, ANA offer free cancellations
Two of Japan's major airlines, JAL and ANA, are offering free refunds for all tickets through March 19th that have been canceled as a result of fears about the coronavirus. Read More
Travel Advisory: Visitors from Korea Regions Restricted Access
Visitors with a travel history to Korea's Daegu City or Cheongdo County within 14 days are being restricted access to Japan (Effective Feb 27th 2020). Read More
Travel Advisory: Visitors from China Regions Restricted Access
Visitors from Wuhan (Hubei)and Zhejiang Provinces are being restricted access to Japan and may not be allowed to land in Japan (Effective Feb 13th 2020). Read More
Temporarily Closed Places in Japan: A-Z Directory
Activities
Mount Fuji
Access to the summit of Mount Fuji is restricted during summer 2020. For an up-to-date list of trail accessibility, please check here.
Activities
Naeba Ski Resort
The Naeba ski slope's business operations will resume on December 19, 2020 down to March 28, 2021.
Culture
Toei Animation Museum
Closed temporarily until further notice, as part of nationwide anti-coronavirus measures.
Activities
Tokyo Big Sight
Trade fair and events will resume on 21st of October. Some restaurants began resuming operations sequentially last September. West Exhibition Halls,..
Cancelled events
Numerous events in Japan since March 2020 have been cancelled, postponed, or scaled back. You can view our full list of event cancellations in Japan for those we have published on our site. Many events, like Tokyo Game Show 2020, are going online only.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been postponed to 2021. The event will keep the name 'Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020'.
How to stay safe in Japan
What were the implications of the April 2020 State of Emergency?
Summary: An April 2020 State of Emergency was lifted on May 25th.
- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe originally announced state of emergency proceedings in Tokyo and beyond on April 8th—becoming nationwide and soon extended until the end of May.
- With infection rates suppressed and under control, it was lifted early on May 25th, allowing many businesses to re-open.
- Many companies and businesses since operate under 'new normal' measures, with social distancing and hygiene precautions being taken at most public areas.
- Sightseeing spots face a gradual reopening — we are doing our best to keep our closure information up-to-date, but always check in advance of any planned outing with the official website for any attraction.
What precautions work best against coronavirus?
The World Health Organization's advice is as follows:
- Wash your hands regularly – with soap and warm water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizers (at least 60% alcohol)
- Maintain social distancing – avoid those who are coughing or sneezing (at least 1m). Some countries are implementing lockdowns and recommending keeping 2m from strangers.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth – potential points of entry for coronavirus particles
- Practice respiratory hygiene – covering your mouth when you cough, and disposing of tissues promptly followed by washing hands.
- Wear a mask – As of June 5th 2020, WHO adapted its advice to recommend wearing a face covering to help prevent the spread of infection. See their dedicated guidance here on face masks.
Should I wear a mask?
Summary: The WHO now officially recommends wearing face masks as of June 5th 2020.
There has been a lot of media coverage surrounding the use of masks, ranging from their effectiveness, differing attitudes in the West and the stigma of wearing them, and even instances of panic buying and price gouging.
If you are travelling in Japan and can find them, we recommend wearing a face mask as a general precaution. Whilst the common surgical mask is not thought to be effective against blocking microscopic coronavirus particles (aerosols), they can help with both respiratory hygiene (protecting others) and keeping you from needlessly touching your face (protecting yourself until you can wash your hands).
Do I need travel insurance?
Whether you are already in Japan, preparing for a trip, or are planning ahead, we recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance. This is both to insure against the prospect of unforeseen medical expenses if the need arise, but also against changing travel plans as the situation develops.
Note that it is essential to check your home country travel advice if you plan to travel to Japan. This is to ensure there is no impact on your insurance coverage.
What should I do if concerned by coronavirus in Japan?
Contact JNTO's Visitor Hotline. Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) operate a 24/7 visitor hotline service, available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. It can be called for assistance in case of accidents or emergencies relating to the coronavirus:
- From Japan 050-3816-2787
- From Overseas +81-50-3816-2787
What should I do if I feel sick?
Japan's official guidance has been to encourage people to self-isolate if they suspect they have related symptoms:
- 37.5°C (99.5°F) or higher fever lasting for 4 or more days,
- Cold symptoms
- Severe lethargy
- Breathing difficulties.
Japan is expanding its daily testing capabilities to help make it easier to access relevant medical treatment where needed.
Those in at-risk groups can expected to be referred for treatment and/or testing in a quicker timeframe.
This step-by-step consultation flow released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is an easy-to-follow guide on what to do if you think you may be affected by coronavirus-related symptoms. You can also consult:
- List of Covid-19 Consultation Centers (Japanese),
- List of medical institutions with foreign-language services (English),
- The JNTO Hotline: 050-3816-2787 (more info above)
You can also consult these multilingual hotlines around Japan's prefectures:
- Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center Himawari 03-5285-8181 English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Thai.
- Saitama Prefecture 048-833-3296 English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Nepalese.
- Osaka Prefecture 06-6941-2297 English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Thai, Indonesian and Nepalese.
- Kyoto Prefecture 075-343-9666 English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Portuguese and Spanish.
- Hyogo Prefecture 078-382-2052 English, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Gunma Prefecture 027-289-8275 English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish.
- Yamaguchi Prefecture 092-687-6639 English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, Tagalog, Indonesian, Portuguese, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Malay, Burmese and Khmer.
- Hiroshima Prefecture 0120-783-806 English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Portuguese, Indonesian, Thai, Spanish and Nepalese.
- Shiga Prefecture 077-523-5646 English, Chinese, Portuguese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Nepalese, Korean, Spanish, Russian and Hindi.
- Wakayama Prefecture 073-435-5240 English, Chinese and Tagalog.
- Mie Prefecture 080-3300-8077 English, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepalese, Indonesian and Thai.
- Gifu Prefecture 058-263-8066 English, Chinese, Portuguese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Nepalese, Korean, Spanish, Khmer, Myanmar, Malay and Mongolian.
- Kumamoto Prefecture 080-4275-4489 English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepalese, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, Malay, French, Russian, German, Italian, Burmese, Khmer and Mongolian.
- Fukuoka Prefecture 092-286-9595 English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, Tagalog, Indonesian, Portuguese, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Malay, Burmese and Khmer.
- Okinawa Prefecture 0570-050-235 English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese and Thai.
- Hokkaido Prefecture 011-200-9595 English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Thai, Russian, Nepalese, Indonesian and Burmese.
What is the current situation in Japan?
| Origin | Confirmed | Severe | Died | Recovered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DomesticIncludes evacuees |
25,844 +419 | 47 | 988 +2 | 19,757 |
Diamond
|
712 | 0 | 13 | 659 |
Compare Japan's situation with countries around the world via WHO's daily sitreps, or view our real-time tracker.
Is it safe to travel to Japan?
Can I enter Japan?
Summary: As of Aug 30th, 159 countries and territories are subject to an entry ban for visitors who have passed through them within the last 14 days.
Please see JNTO's official site for the full list.
Those who are permitted entry to Japan will be subject to undergo PCR tests and to quarantine for 14 days at a location designated by the quarantine station chief for the time being (as of June 3rd). Public transportation should not be used during this time.
Note: As of July 22nd, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced relaxed re-entry procedures for foreign residents who may have been stuck overseas as travel restrictions came in to place in April 2020. This should allow permanent residents and spouses of Japanese nationals to return, among those in other special categories (please consult the MOFA website). We suggest confirming with immigration on the latest status if you need to leave Japan but also plan to return.
Official Japan travel advisories
Please consult these official advisories from countries overseas to gauge the current advice on travelling overseas at this time.
| Country | Status ( Global advisory ) |
|---|---|
| USA | Do not travel |
| UK | Avoid all but essential travel
Japan is part of a list of countries exempt from global advisory. |
| Singapore | Defer all travel abroad
As of Sep 18th, the Residence Track was launched, also allowing access to Work Pass holders yet to enter Singapore. As of Sep 30th, the Reciprocal Green Lane (Business Track)permits essential business and official travel between Japan and Singapore |
| Canada | Avoid non-essential travel |
| Australia | Do not travel overseas at this time |
| NZ | Do not travel overseas at this time |
Note: as the coronavirus has spread across the world, many countries are launching their own containment measures (including temporarily closing borders in some cases), thus advising their citizens to defer their immediate travel plans. Please always check your local authority's latest guidance before planning or attempting to travel.
Official resources
 |
WHO (World Health Organization) |
JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) |
|
 |
Tokyo Metropolitan GovtIf you feel concerned by Covid-19 (step-by-step consultation) |
 |
MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) |